The present invention relates to optical devices used for data communications that use light.
For performing optical communications, it is important to provide a structure with which mutual positioning of connecting points that are present on a transmission path of optical signals, such as, for example, between optical fibers, between an optical fiber and a light emitting element or a light receiving element, and the like, can be accurately made. In this respect, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2004-246279 (Patent Document 1) describes an optical module that uses a structure for achieving an optical coupling through changing a traveling path of optical signals emitted from one end of an optical transmission medium or optical signals emitted from an optical element.
For mounting optical transceivers described above on a variety of electronic apparatuses, there are even greater demands on miniaturization of the optical transceivers. Such demands are apparent particularly in small sized portable apparatuses such as notebook type personal computers, cellular phones and the like, and in particular, demands on size reduction of these apparatuses with respect to their height (thickness) direction are strong. To cope with them, because the optical device described in the aforementioned prior art document uses a structure, for positioning an optical transmission medium and a light emitting element, in which a plug is provided at one end of the optical transmission medium and the plug is inserted in and surrounded by a coupling hole, it is not enough in view of providing thinner apparatuses, and more improved technologies are desired.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2004-246279